March 2, 2011

sunset at Shark River



Lat 26 07 95; Fuel 164 gallons; Engine hours 649.45

Left Everglades City around 11:00 which was about an hour and a half from high tide slack. Didn't want to get into trouble going across the lake again and rub bottom. We got out with no difficulty but had to really watch the red markers on exiting because they were in a zig zag line and if not keeping aware, one could cut the line and cut across shallow water. Once out into the Gulf. it was a pretty straight run to Shark River. I had set the course on my charts and my chart plotter the night before and it was basically following the line taking fixes when appropriate to make sure where we were and enter into Shark River.

We went by the first red maker in the river (R4) and anchored in about 9 feet of water. Dropped the anchor down and backed off and it really held fast - almost like it was caught on something. Anyway, I said to Brenda I could always dive down to release the anchor if necessary. She told me the books said there were alligators in this river and as it turned out salt water crocodiles. So that was not a good idea. Anyways the anchorage was really great, quiet and isolated - no phone service and no Internet. Lots of bird life and it was interesting to watch the birds gather together at sunset presumably for protection. During the day they are all spread out fishing for food, but as soon as dusk started settling in they congregated together.
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